Season 4 Episode 1 New Beginning
by Averil-Nk
Summary: At the end of Season3, Sue decides not to take the job in New York and stays with the team. In the first episode of CyberSeason4, Sue & Jack have to think again about what they feel for each other, as well as solve a new case and catch a serial killer.
1. Chapter 1

In the evening Sue was sitting musing on the couch in her living room. This morning, in the hallway Jack was about to tell her something, which seemed to be important, but Myles came and spoiled everything. _What could Jack want to say? Maybe that he loves me? Sue, forget this stupid idea! How could a man like Jack love you? But he said he would miss me…and there were tears in his eyes when he learnt I would leave the team… and it didn't seem that it was because something went into his eyes_. She was relieved when she decided not to go to New York. She got a great opportunity, which would have undoubtedly been a great leap forward in her career, but she loved her job in Washington, her friends were here… as well as the love of her life… _Even if he most probably doesn't feel the same way_. She held the bitter tears back. _This love will remain unrequited. Jack deserves someone better than I am. If I really love him, I have to let him go... before he could be mine._

Jack was laying on his bed, thinking of the events of the morning. _Sue remains in Washington. The woman, who is more important for me than anyone else, stays with me. I am so happy… Even if she only considers me a friend. I have just gathered enough courage to tell her how I feel, and Myles had to come just then_… In that moment he really hated his colleague.

He decided to fight for Sue, that he will let her know he has been in love with her for years. How would he do this? He still has to find a way for this, but he was sure that eventually he would successfully accomplish this.

After it became clear for Jack that Sue was staying, the team celebrated this joyful event, and then, since they didn't get a new case, they continued paperwork. Sue and Jack didn't finish the conversation they started in the morning, although both of them wanted to do so.

_But I have to tell her that I love her, no matter what. I can't endure much longer without doing so._


	2. Chapter 2

On the next morning Sue arrived in the bullpen early. She looked around the office, where she had spent the last three years… found true friends… and where she met the love of her life. _It was a good decision to stay. My life, the man of my dreams is here, this is the place where I feel really good._

She sat to her desk and tried to focus on paperwork… but found this hard to do… she kept thinking of Jack. _He was happy when he found out that I was staying… he was happy for me… I wish I knew what he wanted to tell me yesterday. We must talk. I hope this won't be a busy day, and then we can finish the conversation we started yesterday._

When Jack entered the bullpen a little later, he saw Sue as she worked, leaning over her desk. He wanted to talk to her about yesterday by all means. At the approaching of Jack Levi put his paws on Sue's leg. Sue looked up.

- Hi – she greeted the man.

- Hi – Jack replied. – Sue was beautiful, as always… Jack's heart still beat faster and his breath stopped whenever he looked at her, even after three years.

They were looking at each other for long seconds, neither of them could speak.

- I'm so happy you decided to stay… - Jack found his voice at last. – The team wouldn't be the same without you.

- I'm happy too that I can work with all of you in the future as well…

- Sue, we started a conversation yesterday, which we couldn't finish…

But it turned out soon that they would have to wait with this. D entered the bullpen.

- Guys, we have a new case. Four people were found dead this week… all of them are men between the ages of 50 and 60, murdered in their homes.

- Serial killer? – Bobby asked.

- It seems so... let's look for all possible connections between the victims, find their addresses out and visit their families. To work, people!

Jack reluctantly stepped away from Sue's desk. His job has always been the most important in his life, but since he met Sue, sometimes work came only second. _Maybe not just sometimes... Now Sue is the most important in my life._

- The victims are Roger Collins, Harold Charlton, Raymond Calhoun and Walter Konrad –Jack said, while putting their photos on the board. – All of them are former soldiers, who, although they are from different states, later moved to Washington. Lucy, could you find their addresses?

- Just a moment! – Lucy turned towards her computer.

- Three of the victims were Americans, while Konrad was of German origin - Tara said. - I searched for the relatives of the victims living in Washington - Charlton had a daughter, Calhoun had a brother living in the capital, while Collins and Konrad lived with their wives in Washington – she continued, while writing the new information on the board.

- We'll go and ask their relatives and close friends. Bobby, Myles! Visit Calhoun's brother! Tara, D, question Collins' wife! Sue, we'll visit Charlton's daughter and Konrad's wife. Lucy, look for more information about the victims – Jack ordered.

The team set out to find out more about the victims from their relatives.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack and Sue went to question Charlton's daughter in the house of the family in the outskirts of Washington. A blonde woman around 30 answered the door.

- Elise Charlton? Jack Hudson, FBI. She is my colleague, Sue Thomas. We have to ask you a few questions about your father.

- Of course… come in – Elise said. Her red-rimmed eyes and indifferent look indicated clearly that the past few days had extremely broken her.

- Could you talk about your family? What kind of a person was your father? – Sue asked, after they sat down in the living-room.

- Our relationship was very good… we were really close to each other, I could talk to him about everything. He was a kind man, but since he used to be a soldier, he knew how to be hard, in order to get what he wanted.He is from South Carolina, but we moved to Washington when I was a child. My mother had been seriously ill for years and died after a long suffering a few years ago. As an effect of the tragedy, my father was in depression for a long time, therefore I moved home to be with him in those hard times. Since then we had been living here together.

- Do you know about anyone who could have had a motive for murdering Mr. Charlton? Did your father have enemies? – Jack asked.

- He may have had some at the time when he was a soldier... But since we have been living here, I don't know about such people. As far as I know, he didn't have serious problems with anyone in Washington… and I don't know his mates from South Carolina. But my father wrote down all important events… as far as I can remember, he kept a diary every year.

- Could we see your father's diaries from the past few years? – Sue asked.

- Just a minute – the woman replied, and headed towards her father's room. She returned with lots of diaries soon.

- He always kept them in his room… no one else has ever read them… He wrote down all important events of his life… Maybe even those I have never heard about… - she said silently, looking at the diaries in her hand.

- We have to take these with us – Jack said. – We may learn important information from these, which can help us find the murderer of your father.

- Of course… but I would like to get them back… these are almost the only things which mean a connection to my father … – Elise whispered. – I haven't had enough strength to read them yet… his death hurts so much...

- We'll bring them back to you as soon as possible – Sue reassured her. – Thank you for your help.

Sue and Jack stepped out of the house and headed towards the home of Konrad's wife.

- I hope the diaries will help us answer the unanswered questions… – Sue said, when they got into their car.

Half an hour later Sue and Jack arrived to Konrad's house. A woman in her fifties with greyish hair came to open the door.

- Mrs. Konrad? FBI, we would like to ask you a few questions about your husband.

- Come in – the woman said surprised, and led them into the living-room.

- We learnt that your husband wasn't born in the US. Is this true? – Jack asked.

- My husband was German… We lived in Germany in the first years of our marriage, and moved to Washington after that.

- Do you have any idea who could have murdered your husband?

- When he was a soldier, he had serious quarrels with several of his mates. Sometimes they didn't even talk to each other, but eventually, things were always settled.Always… except for one person. That man hated my husband, he tried to cause Walter as much harm as he could...

- Do you know what could be the reason for this? – Sue asked.

- My husband didn't talk much about this… But sometimes he told me a few things… and also mentioned the case in a few letters he wrote to his friends… I didn't really understand what he was referring to… He wrote he knew everything was his fault, but remedied it as much as he could, and the others forgave him after this… except for this man…

- Did your husband ever talk about what he did which had such consequences?

- No… he only said he was sorry for what he had done and did everything possible to make it right… There wasn't any reference to this in his letters either… - Mrs. Konrad couldn't hold her tears back. – I miss him too much… since I got to know that he had died, I'm looking at his photos and reading his letters, to ease his absence…

- Could you tell the name of the person with whom he had such a bad relationship?

- If I remember right, he said Derek Jenkins… my husband said something about Jenkins' mother being German and his father American… Jenkins and my husband served in Germany, then both came back to the States… I don't know anything more about him.

- Was your husband in contact with his mates from the army?

- He was with some of them… They met from time to time… he corresponded regularly with some of them… and also kept in touch with some of his friends in Germany.

- Can we see those letters? – Jack asked.

- I'll bring them in a moment… - Mrs. Konrad replied. – She went to her room, and returned with lots of letters a few minutes later.

- We have to take these with us… - Jack said. – They may help us find the murderer of your husband. Of course, you'll get them back as soon as we have closed the case and sent the murderer to prison.

- These are the only things left from my husband… - Mrs. Konrad said in tears. – Please, bring them back to me as soon as possible.

- We will do just that – Jack assured her.

- Don't worry – Sue put her arm on the woman's shoulder to calm her. – We'll find the murderer of your husband and put him to prison for the rest of his life.

- Thank you for your time, you have helped a lot – Jack said.

Sue and Jack left the house and headed back towards the bullpen.


	4. Chapter 4

In the meantime, Bobby and Myles visited Calhoun's brother in his apartment. The man, who was in his sixties, was surprised that the agents of FBI came to question him.

- Mr. Calhoun? Bobby Manning and Myles Leland, FBI. We have to ask you a few questions about the death of your brother.

- Come in… sit down – the man led the two agents into the living room.

- Tell us a bit about your relationship with your brother! Did you get on well? – Myles asked.

- My brother and I were very close to each other… our parents died early; I took care of him after that, until he joined the army… we could always talk about everything, I knew about everything important which happened in his life. Although I couldn't spend as much time with him as I wanted… I was too busy with work…

- What did you do then?

- I was leading my own company… thus, taking care of my brother wasn't a problem, but I had very little free time… But his death made me realize so many things… I should have spent more time with him… But nothing can bring those years back – his voice faded.

- Do you know about anything in the past of your brother which could have been the reason for his murder? – Bobby asked.

- Ray was always a good guy… he never did anything illegal… but even if he got involved in something, he would have surely told it to me, we told everything important to each other.

- Was there anyone among his friends who could have got him involved into anything illegal?

- My brother never had friends with bad reputation… not even as a teenager. He never rebelled against our parents, didn't spend the nights outside of the house, there weren't any problems with his behaviour at school either… I knew his friends, both as a teenager and an adult, I would have never thought about any of them to be capable of committing a crime.

- What was his relationship like with his mates in the army? Did he keep in touch with them later as well? – Myles asked.

- As far as I know, he didn't have any serious quarrels with any of them… and he became good friends with some of his mates. Sometimes they visited each other and talked on the phone regularly.

- Could you tell us their names? It would be important to ask them a few questions as well.

- Just a moment – Calhoun replied, wrote a few names on a sheet of paper, and then handed it over to Bobby.

- Did your brother keep a record of the important events of his life? Did he have a diary, or perhaps he corresponded with someone?

- No… Ray thought keeping a diary was unnecessary… - Calhoun smiled faintly. – He always said he didn't need to write down what happened to him, since he could remember everything important… He didn't like writing letters either… he said it was better to visit one's friends or talk to them on the phone… - the man remembered.

- Thank you for your help, Mr. Calhoun – Bobby said. – If we have some more questions, we'll come back, so please, don't leave the city in the next weeks.

- Of course – Calhoun replied, while seeing the two agents to the door.

- It looks like everything is OK around Calhoun… - Myles stated, while they headed towards their car. – But it will be interesting to ask his former mates as well.

Tara and Dimitrius visited Collins' wife in her home in Washington. A woman in her forties came to answer the door; looking at her, it was obvious that she had been broken by the events of the past few days.

- Mrs. Collins? Tara Williams and Dimitrius Gans, FBI. We have to ask you a few questions about the death of your husband.

- Come in – the woman said, trying to hold her tears back. – I'm sorry… - she whispered. – I still can't believe that Roger…

Tara smiled reassuringly and waited until the woman sat down.

- Could you talk about your husband? What kind of a person was he?

- We loved each other so much… he was a very good man, he adored our children… he tried to spend all his free time with them… - said Mrs. Collins staring. – I miss him so much… - her voice faded.

- Mrs. Collins, I know that this is extremely hard for you, but we have to ask you a few things to find the murderer of your husband and send him to prison – Tara said. – At the woman's nod the agent went on with the questions.

- Do you have any idea who could have killed your husband?

The woman's eyes were filled with tears again.

- He was such a great person… I have no idea how anyone could have taken his life away… - she whispered.

- Did your husband have enemies, or do you know about anyone with whom he had a serious quarrel?

- No… my husband had a fairly good relation with everyone he knew… but it was by no way hostile. Although… there was a case, years ago… he got into a quarrel with someone who, as it later turned out, had relations with the mafia…

- What happened exactly? – Dimitrius asked.

- He got involved in a quarrel with a man and it ended up in fighting… but I don't know anything more, Roger never talked about this.

- Do you know who that man was, where he knew your husband from, or what was the cause of the fight?

- No… I don't even know his name… all Roger said was that they were quarrelling about something from the past, and that it had no significance… but that was a very long time ago, and since then, my husband didn't get involved in such cases.

- Thank you for your help, Mrs. Collins – stood Tara up. – We may need your help in the near future as well, so don't leave the city for a couple of weeks.

- All right… - the woman replied. – Please, find the murderer of my husband… - she said, looking at Tara.

- We'll do everything to put him to prison as soon as possible – the agent assured her, then headed back to the office with her colleague.

- She is a very kind woman, they must have had a great marriage – Tara said.

D nodded. - Indeed. It shouldn't have ended this way, but fate doesn't decide on the basis of this.


	5. Chapter 5

- Lucy, this is Charlton's diary, and these are Konrad's letters. Read them, perhaps you'll find something important – Jack said after they returned to the office. Did you find anything significant about the victims?

- I ran the names of all the victims in our database, but so far I haven't found anything interesting, except for a few unpaid parking slips or speeding cases… but after reading these, I'll continue searching – Lucy replied, then put the diaries and letters on her table and started reading.

- Let's summarize what we learnt from the relatives of the victims! – Jack said and went to the board. We visited Charlton's daughter, who said she doesn't know about anyone in Washington who could have wanted the death of her father, and she doesn't know his mates from South Carolina – he wrote the new information on the board. – But we learnt that her father had kept a diary, in which he recorded all important events of his life.

- After this, we visited Konrad's wife – he continued. – We learnt that Konrad was of German origin and they lived in Germany for a few years. Mrs. Konrad mentioned a man with whom her husband had a serious problem… a certain Derek Jenkins, whose is half German, from the part of his mother. All we know is that Konrad committed something in the past, because of which he later got involved in a quarrel with Jenkins. We have to find him and question him, he may have something to do with the case. Mrs. Konrad said he also lives in the States.

- We went to question Calhoun's brother – Bobby took Jack's place at the board. – It looks everything is all right here… according to his brother, Calhoun never committed anything illegal and never got into bad company… Unfortunately, he didn't keep a record of the events of his life… But it would be useful to ask his former mates, so we got a list of their names… maybe we'll find something important out.

- We visited Collins's wife – Tara went to the board. – Mrs. Collins said her husband got into a serious quarrel with a single person, years ago… they had an argument about a case from the past and this ended in a fight. According to Mrs. Collins, this was the first and only case her husband got involved in such a fight. She said she doesn't know the name of the man, but it would be important to find out who this man is; if we question him, this may help us solve the case.

- OK – Jack said. – Tara, search for information about Jenkins and try to find out who the other man is. We'll take a few diaries and letters over from Lucy, thus we may find something significant sooner.

Lucy sighed in relief. The diaries and letters on her table would surely have meant an activity for the whole day for the rest of the week.

Sue started reading the diary with a sigh. She will spend the rest of the day by doing this… and she wasn't too enthusiastic about this. In the meantime, she kept watching Jack, who was also busy reading. _Staying here was one of the best decisions of my life… It is so good that I can go on working with him again, that he will be with me in the future as well… When he is with me, I feel so secure… What would I have done in New York without him? I even feel I go crazy if I have to endure his absence for a day. I could have surely not lived without seeing him every day… _

Jack started reading the diary, but found it hard to concentrate on work. _I am so happy she stayed with me… I don't know how I would have survived if she left for New York... I feel I even cannot bear if I have to miss her company for a single day… I can even hardly endure that we have to say goodbye in the afternoon and I can only see her in the morning…sometimes we meet outside of working time as well, but this isn't enough any more… I wish I could fall asleep and wake up every day with her in my arms…_

Jack was turned back to reality by Lucy's voice.

- Guys… I've found something interesting in Charlton's diary … He and Collins knew each other… they were good friends… they served in the army at the same time, at the same place. According to the diary, they committed something many years ago, as an effect of which both of them were transferred…

- Do we know what did they commit? – Jack asked.

- No, this doesn't turn out from the diary… but maybe he will mention this later…

- Tara, find out what this case was about! Do you have Jenkins' address?

- Here – Tara gave Jack a sheet of paper, then started searching for information about the details of the crime committed by Charlton and Collins.

- Bobby, Myles! Go and question Jenkins! I want to know what the reason of the hostility between him and Konrad was! – The two agents headed to the apartment of the man. – Tara, did you manage to find anything out about the man mentioned by Mrs. Collins?

- Not yet, but I'll do everything to find out who he is and where we can find him… - Tara replied, turning back to her computer.

- I knew that something was missing from my happiness… - Myles' face suddenly became gloomy. When the others turned in the direction of his gaze, they immediately understood the reason for that. Randy was standing in the door... It was immediately obvious that he had a bad day... as usual, when it was about the team.

- This morning I thoroughly examined the content of my desk, but despite all my efforts, I still can't see the report, which my memory says should be ready and lying on my table for a long time! – he said angrily.

- How much was our delay with that report? 20 seconds? – Myles grumbled.

- Three entire days! – Randy shouted. – I don't have time to deal with your stupidity and keep checking what you didn't manage to finish in time!

- Then why are you still here? – Bobby said with an innocent look on his face.

- Enough of this! I want an acceptable answer for this delay! – Randy broke out.

- It was eaten by my goat – Bobby said. Randy flared.

- I don't know since when you have been keeping a goat and I don't care. But I want that report to be on my table by tomorrow morning, even if you have to take it out of the stomach of the goat. And this concerns everyone else as well! – he looked round in the room.

- Randy… the truth is that I had just typed the report, printed it and was about to take it to your office, when a bird flew into the bullpen and spilled the coffee on the paper… now imagine…

- Leland! You don't expect me to believe this, do you?

- It is unbelievable, isn't it? An innocent-looking little bird, which in a vile way spills the coffee on the work I had been doing for long hours, making the job of you, our great colleague, so hard… - Myles said with an innocent look.

- As for me... err...well... yes! A relative of mine from the Amazonas jungle came to visit me… and, you know, he takes his crocodile everywhere... my report was ready and I wanted to take it to the office on the next day, but the crocodile had a different idea and thought it was food... – Jack said.

- I want to see that report on my table tomorrow exactly at eight! Not even a minute later! –Randy burst out, then left the bullpen.

- How long have you kept a goat? – turned Jack towards his best friend.

- Since I have been training him to kill Randy – Bobby grumbled. – They would make a great team with your crocodile...

- I can imagine Randy lying torn to pieces in his beloved office... – Myles said with a face transfigured with joy.

- Jack… - Tara ended the cheerful atmosphere. – This is amazing… I checked the information about Charlton and Collins… and I found something interesting… While they were serving in the army, they killed an officer of a high rank, but because of their influential families, the case was covered up, and Charlton and Collins were transferred to Washington…


	6. Chapter 6

In the evening, Sue was sitting musing on the couch in the living-room of her apartment. She didn't see that Lucy was approaching, she realized that her friend was there only when Lucy sat beside her, holding two mugs of cocoa in her hands.

- What were you thinking about? That, in the end, you decided to stay? – Lucy asked, while handing one of the mugs over to Sue. – You know, I shouldn't say this, but I'm really happy that you'll stay with us.

- Thanks – Sue replied – great to hear that. Don't you even ask why I decided to stay?

- Maybe it's better if I don't know. Making such a decision is never easy – Lucy said sincerely.

- Although I can't hear your voice, I feel as if there was some sadness in it. Why?

- I'm a little bit ashamed that I got offended because you hardly wanted to tell that to me. When I thought you would take that job, I was thinking a lot. I wouldn't have been that courageous. Leaving the job I love… my friends… Jack…

- By the way, you haven't even mentioned this today. I thought you were the president of the Let's Bring Jack and Sue Together Club – Sue said smiling.

- This remains to be the case, don't worry. But I had to realize that first you two have to admit that you want something with each other. Or at least one of you – she smiled winking, a little bit relieved that they turned away from the preceding subject. – Please, say that Jack was among the decisive factors! – Lucy asked her friend playfully.

- He too.

- Aaah, I knew it! Then the club can go on functioning – Lucy leaned back satisfied, then Levi appeared and made himself comfortable between the two of them. – And we only have to get you together.

- I said he too, which means, not in the first place – Sue said, while petting Levi's head perplexed. She just couldn't send him away, although it was a rule that he was not allowed to get on the couch.

- But you started with him, so not in the second place either – Lucy continued, smiling.

- Oh, come on! He is my colleague and one of my best friends. And there are also you, Bobby, Tara, D, Myles, Charlie, Troy, Amanda, the girls in the club – Sue said. – It wouldn't have been too nice of me to go away and not to keep the promises, even if they would have forgiven me for that.

- Promises?

- Yes. Amanda and I help children… I promised Charlie that he can always count on me, but I cannot help him if I'm miles away… And I also promised Jack, even if not seriously, that we'll celebrate our first wedding anniversary – she laughed again, thinking of the week when they lived together during the Arif Dessa case. – We had so much work in the past weeks that we couldn't find time for that… but I will try to do that… but celebrating would be a bit hard, if I am in one state, while Jack is in another…

- We are at Jack again – Lucy said.

- Is it my fault that you always talk about him? – Sue said with an innocent face.

- Meee? – Lucy threw a pillow at Sue.

- Who else? – her friend threw it back laughing.

They couldn't do this for long, because there were only two pillows on the couch, and Levi didn't seem to be willing to leave the other one. In the end, Lucy stood up, put the mugs away and went to sleep; reading all those diaries and letters had been extremely tiring. Sue followed her example… she knew that tomorrow will be a long day, after getting new information about the case.


	7. Chapter 7

The new information speeded up events considerably. Charlton and Collins knew each other, and committed a murder together, for which they were never held responsible. In the meantime, Bobby and Myles gave an account of their meeting with Jenkins.

- We talked with Jenkins – Myles said. – He told us that years ago, he was sent on a common action with Konrad. They got into a dangerous situation, in which Jenkins almost died, and Konrad, although he could have helped him, did nothing; his own security was much more important to him. Their relationship had been hostile since then. Konrad was sorry about his act; after this, his mates were understanding towards him, but Jenkins was unable to forgive him.

- Do you think he may have something to do with the murders? – D. asked.

- No… after this case, Jenkins certainly didn't like Konrad too much, but he wouldn't have been able to take the life of anyone away.

- I searched for more information about Collins – D went to the board. – I talked with his children and some of his friends. It seems he wasn't that perfect husband and person as his wife told us. They said he had had problems with alcohol for years, he hurt his wife and children regularly… both physically and psychically… one of his sons said that as a child, he saw several times that Collins beat his wife while being drunk.

- Why do women beaten by their husbands try to keep it a secret that their husbands intimidate them… - Bobby said musing.

- When we were talking to Mrs. Collins, it was obvious that she was still in love with her husband – Tara said. – Intimidated women usually keep hoping that their husbands will change their behaviour… no matter how much they are terrorized, women often keep believing that they can change the person whom they chose as their companion for their lives.

- Whenever he hurt his wife, Collins promised not to do that again… but of course, he couldn't control his temper later either… His wife suffered and endured this without complaining, she didn't talk to anyone about being beaten by her husband… - D. continued.

- What could be the reason for some people to think that the solution for their problems and concealing their minority complex is that they hurt the weaker people… - Sue said, thinking back on her own years in high school.

- I found the man with whom Collins got into a fight… - Tara said. – Rodney Baker, he had extended relations with the mafia…

- Where can we find him? – D asked.

- He's dead… he was murdered a few months ago in a fight in the underworld...

- This is bad news, it would have been useful to question him as well… - Jack said. – What else do we have?

- It turned out that Calhoun wasn't that innocent man whom we got to know from what his brother told us – Bobby said. – I examined his past a bit, talked to his former mates, and found something interesting… As a teenager, he took part in the robbing of a shop, together with a friend. During the robbery there was a shooting, as a result of which a man was killed.

- Do we know who shot him? – Jack asked.

- No… all the evidence was destroyed… Calhoun's brother was a rich businessman, who had great political influence. As a result of his influence the case was covered up, and the evidence was annihilated… In the weeks following the case the fortune of several officials increased significantly, and I doubt this is merely the result of their great work…

- So the murder might have been committed by Calhoun, and his brother made it covered up, so that Calhoun wouldn't get to prison… but it could have been the friend as well, and the case was covered up in order Calhoun not to be held responsible, and to prevent any damage to the reputation of his brother…

- Bring Calhoun in! – Jack ordered.

- Mr. Calhoun, it seems you forgot to mention that your brother took part in the robbing of a shop and got involved in the murdering of a man. Are you aware that you may be sentenced for withholding significant facts and hindering justice? – Myles asked angrily, putting his palms on the table of the interrogation room. – You concealed some important information from the FBI.

- I wouldn't have thought it was of any importance… my brother is dead… Whatever he did in the past, nothing can bring him back… I didn't want to besmirch his memory…

- Mr. Calhoun, your brother and his friend committed a robbery, in which a person died! –Bobby said angrily. You can really not call that an insignificant fact!

- My brother was broken after the death of our parents… and I didn't spend enough time with him either… This must have been the cause that he got involved in a crime… He was such a good guy, he surely wouldn't have done such a thing on his own… But from one moment to the other, he was left alone… and Daniel appeared just then… Ray needed a friend, someone who helps ease the pain caused by the death of our parents… But he was so young, life was still ahead of him… I couldn't let this juvenile blunder put an end to his future…

- A robbery and a murder… you have interesting ideas about "juvenile blunders", Mr. Calhoun… Who shot that man?

- Daniel… it was Daniel… but I couldn't risk my brother being sentenced and put to prison… he had lost his parents, and even that was too much of a tragedy for him.

- What happened to his friend?

- Daniel died a few years ago…

- Did you know him?

- Yes, but we didn't meet to often… He ruined Ray's life… I know that I should have talked to the FBI about this sooner…

- You should have realized this a little bit earlier – Bobby said.

- This is very interesting… Something came into my mind… at first I thought it made no sense, but I looked at the data about the victims once again… - Tara said suddenly. – I found it strange that three out of four victims had the same family name… and I was thinking about it… the sounds „K" and „C" are usually pronounced the same way… After this, I checked the full names of the victims… and I found something which almost surely isn't a coincidence… All four victims have the same middle name… Joseph.

- Maybe our killer is strongly bound to the name „Joseph"… Maybe somebody, who has this middle name, did harm to him or his family… - Myles said.

- Check whether there is any allusion in the diaries or letters to a certain Joseph, whose family name starts either with C or K! – Jack said, feeling that they were close to solving the case.

- Jack… - Sue said. – I found something in one of the letters… Konrad mentions a certain Alfred Joseph Krüger… it seems they knew each other…

- Tara, try and find out everything about this Krüger! – Jack said.

Tara nodded and turned back to her computer. A few minutes later she learnt everything she wanted to know about that man. She went to the board to write the information she found in her computer.

- Alfred Joseph Krüger, born in Germany, but his mother was American, this is why he has an English middle name. He served in the German army, and then moved to the States. He brutally killed a woman thirty years ago. He was never caught, and he died a few months ago. The woman had a son, George Morris, who was eyewitness to his mother's murder.

- He is most probably our killer – Jack interrupted. – Lucy, find his address out!

- Just a moment – Lucy said. – Here you are – she handed Jack a sheet of paper a few minutes later.

Jack and Bobby went to Morris' apartment. They didn't have to wait for long, and the man came to the door.

- George Morris, I arrest you with the charge of killing Harold Charlton, Raymond Calhoun, Roger Collins and Walter Konrad – Jack said, then they took Morris to the interrogation room. The man didn't deny committing the murders.

- As a child, I had to watch how that crazy person killed my mother… Can you imagine what kind of a horrible experience that is? Ah, how could I presuppose such a thing, how would you know. That villain was never caught… But I couldn't let him get away with it… And before he could have got his well-deserved punishment, he died… but if law wasn't able to do justice, I had to do that! Someone had to suffer for the murdering of my mother!

Jack had interrogated lots of suspects as an FBI-agent, but he rarely met with such infamy. _How can anyone be so wicked…_ - he asked himself, as he did so many times before.

- As a child, Morris was eyewitness to Krüger murdering his mother – Jack summarized the case later in the bullpen. The horrible experience caused a huge trauma in his psyche, which was proven by the psychological test as well. The man was never captured… He had wanted to take revenge since then. Krüger died before he could have punished him, but Morris felt he had to take revenge for the death of his mother. This is why he chose people who had committed a crime, but escaped punishment. Krüger was German and a soldier, and Morris chose his victims on the basis of that. He murdered people whose family name reminded him of Krüger's, and whose middle name was the same as his. And he killed Konrad because he was German, like his mother's murderer… and their family names started with the same letter.

- How mentally ill must one be to be capable of such a thing… - Myles said.


	8. Chapter 8

- Oh my… I'll die of an overdose of happiness... – Myles sighed, when he looked at the door. Randy was standing there, his face red of anger, as usual.

- What is this??? – he shouted, holding a sheet of paper in his hand.

- The report you asked for...? - Myles replied with an innocent look.

- You call this a report??!! This isn't a report, this is... this is... rubbish!!! Take a look at how it looks like!!!

- You told us to take it out of the goat's stomach... and we did just that. Oh and by the way, those marks on it were caused by the crocodile, and that coffee stain, by the bird... So that you can see that we did everything to get that report back. But you didn't say it should look nice, just that it should be on your table in the morning! It was... And as you know, we are always happy to do whatever you tell us… - Bobby said.

- When I said the report should be on my table in the morning, I didn't mean it should look like something which has just survived a war!!!

- Do you want to read it or eat from it? – Myles broke out.

Randy's face became even redder. – I don't have time to deal with your idiotic jokes! – he grumbled angrily, then stormed out of the bullpen. The team could hardly hold laughing back, while Randy was raging in the office, but as soon as he was outside of earshot, everyone burst out in laughter.

- Sue… Do you have time now? We have to talk… - Jack said, stepping near the woman's desk.

- Sure – Sue nodded. She had been waiting for this moment ever since Myles interrupted their conversation a few days ago.

Despite winter, weather was pleasant in the park, it looked that several people found this suitable for an afternoon walk. Fresh snow crunched softly under their soles, while they were walking silently beside each other, watching the white land, thinking of how they should start the conversation they had been waiting for so long.

- When Myles interrupted our conversation, I wanted to tell you something really important… - Jack began finally. He had been waiting for nothing else for days than to talk to Sue, to let her know what he wanted to tell her days ago… And at last he was standing beside her again, hoping that this time nobody will interrupt the conversation.

- Sue…you can't imagine how glad I am that you eventually decided to stay. Since you have been here with us in Washington, you became an indispensable part of the team, and… without you, the gang wouldn't be the same. We all would have terribly missed you if you left… Since you entered our life, all of us became better people, and this is only due to you.

- I'm happy as well that I decided to stay… That job would have undoubtedly been really exciting and a great step forward in my career, but I would have to live far from the city I love so much… and all of you, my friends…I would have awfully missed you all, it would have been extremely hard without you.

- When I learnt that you may leave the team…

- I'm so sorry for not telling you… - Sue interrupted him. – I wanted you to learn that from me, but the man who offered the promotion made me promise that it would remain a secret for the time being… But you know Lucy, I cannot keep anything a secret, because she somehow realizes that I am hiding something from her… so I had to tell her.

The man nodded understanding and for a few seconds, they continued their walk in silence.

- If you had taken that job, I don't know how I could have born that… - Jack admitted. - You mean a lot to me, Sue…

- You mean a lot to me as well, Jack… - the woman replied, looking into his eyes. Sue didn't know what made her do this, but suddenly she leaned closer to the man and placed a light kiss on his mouth. It only lasted for a thousandth of a second, but by the time Jack recovered from amazement, Sue had already walked further. Jack smiled, followed the woman, and they continued walking with his arms on her shoulder. For an outside onlooker, they seemed a couple deeply in love with each other.


End file.
